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The Facts
Combining the element vanadium with sodium chloride and heating it to 850 degrees Celsius produces a red solid by-product called polyvanadate. This by-product is further reduced through a chemical crystal bar process. This process is accomplished by combining the polyvanadate with iodine and boiling it in a vacuum--the result is pure vanadium metal.
As a transition metal, vanadium has an atomic number of 23. This transition metal, besides being ductile and malleable, is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Transition metals easily combine with other elements, which is why they are typically found combined with other elements and minerals in nature.
Function
Resistance to corrosion is an important attribute of vanadium and this is why it is added to iron to form more durable steel products. This results in a metal alloy that has significant strength. These steel alloys are typically used in crank shafts of motors, as axles and other high-speed steel applications requiring considerable strength.
Controlling the effects of Type 2 diabetes is one biological role of vanadium as a means of improving glucose control. A second biological role for vanadium is in the healthy growth and reproduction lives of rats and chickens.
Identification
Identifying the vanadium metal is made by noting that it is a silvery grey metal that is soft and ductile. This makes it extremely malleable for forming into any desired shape. Although this metal is highly resistant to corrosion from acids, it forms an oxide layer at room temperature.
In its non-metal state, vanadium is found in reddish colored crystals called vanadinite or in a dark-brown, fine-grained mineral called patronite. Vanadium can also be found in a bright yellow crystal called carnotite.
History
Originally discovered by Andres del Rio of Mexico in 1803, vanadium was originally called panchromium and then renamed erythronium. However, this discovery was ignored by other scientists who felt that erythronium was merely an isotope of chromium.
In 1831, the Swedish chemist Nils Sefstrom rediscovered the element and called it Vanadis after the goddess of Northern Germanic tribes and later called it vanadium. Today the name vanadium is still accepted as the name of this element over the original name of erythronium.
In 1867, Henry Roscoe succeeded in producing vanadium metal and its first large-scale use was in the production of Ford Model T cars in the United States. Ford used vanadium to increase the strength of steel in order to decrease the overall weight of his cars.
Warning
Caution must be taken when handling pure vanadium because it is a toxic substance. According the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), exposure to 35 mg of pure vanadium is considered life threatening and medical assistance must be sought immediately.